Turning the Tide on Pancreatic Cancer: New Drug Extends Survival in Landmark Trial
- A new drug, elraglusib, combined with chemotherapy extended median survival by four months in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who completed one treatment cycle2.
- The combination cut the risk of death by a staggering 43% in this group compared to standard chemotherapy alone2.
- For patients with notoriously difficult-to-treat liver metastases, the drug more than doubled one-year survival rates, offering a chance at life where the control group showed zero survival probability at 18 months2.
For decades, a diagnosis of metastatic pancreatic cancer has been a near-certain death sentence, with five-year survival rates lingering at a devastating 3-5%. But a breakthrough from Actuate Therapeutics is shattering that grim narrative, offering the most significant hope in over a decade for patients with this relentless disease.
In a pivotal Phase 2 trial, adding the novel drug elraglusib to standard chemotherapy delivered a powerful blow against one of the world's deadliest cancers. Patients who were able to complete just one 4-week cycle of the combination therapy saw their median overall survival leap from 8.5 to 12.5 months2. More than just numbers, those four months represent precious time with loved ones, backed by a remarkable 43% reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy alone2.
The results were even more profound for the highest-risk patients—those whose cancer had spread to the liver. Here, elraglusib offered a true lifeline. While the standard chemotherapy group had a 0% survival probability at 18 months, 13.6% of patients on the elraglusib combination were still alive2.
Across the entire 286-patient study, the results were statistically significant and clinically meaningful, with elraglusib consistently improving disease control and response rates1, 2, 8. As Actuate prepares for discussions with the FDA, these findings represent a potential paradigm shift in a field desperate for progress, marking a new era of hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer6.
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